* Graphic: World FX rates https://tmsnrt.rs/2RBWI5E
* U.S. nonfarm payrolls surge more than 900,000 in March
* Economic optimism, rising yields support dollar
* Dollar index rises in five of last six weeks
* Ethereum hits record high
(Adds analyst comments, updates prices)
By Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss
NEW YORK, April 2 (Reuters) - The dollar rose on Friday in thin trading, posting its third straight
weekly gain, after data showed the world's largest economy created more jobs than expected in March,
suggesting it is on a steady path to recovery from the pandemic.
Financial markets are closed in Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Britain, and Europe in observance of
the Good Friday holiday. Wall Street is also closed, while the U.S. bond and currency markets are open
because Good Friday is not a U.S. government holiday.
Friday's data showed U.S. nonfarm payrolls surged 916,000 jobs last month, the largest gain since last
August. Data for February was revised higher to show 468,000 jobs created instead of the previously reported
379,000. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast payrolls increasing by 647,000 jobs in March.
"The overall strength of the labor market is likely to prove dollar-positive," said Joe Manimbo, senior
market analyst, at Western Union Business Solutions in Washington.
"The hiring explosion showed the economy producing some of the 'substantial further progress' the
Federal Reserves wants to see before it pivots away from its low rate policies."
He added, though, that Treasury yields may take exception given tepid wage growth which is consistent
with inflation remaining subdued.
Sentiment for the dollar has improved in recent weeks, while Treasury yields have spiked, as the Biden
administration's planned stimulus of more than $2 trillion and a rapid COVID-19 vaccine rollout spurred
economic optimism as well as inflation fears.
U.S. benchmark 10-year Treasury yields were last at 1.717% US10YT=RR , up nearly 4 basis points from
the previous session. US/
In midday trading, the dollar index was up 0.1% at 93.025 =USD , posting gains in five of the last six
weeks.
The dollar's ascent to multi-month highs is likely to continue as more investors bet on economic
recovery.
The dollar was up 0.1% versus the yen at 110.67 yen JPY=EBS , not far from its strongest level in a
year at just under 111 yen.
The euro, meanwhile, was down 0.2% against the dollar at $1.1756.
In the cryptocurrency market, ethereum, the second-largest cryptocurrency in terms of market
capitalization, hit a record high of $2,081.83 ETH=BTSP and was last up 5% at $2,065.45.
"Basically, there's a decentralized Wall Street blooming on top of ethereum that's currently growing
faster than any other sector in the entire cryptocurrency industry, and it all requires ETH to function,
likely explaining a good portion of the increased attention on the asset," said Sergey Nazarov, co-founder
of Chainlink, a decentralized network that provides data to smart contracts on the blockchain.
Bitcoin BTC=BTSP , meanwhile, briefly rose above $60,000 for the first time in two weeks but then
pared gains to trade up 1.1% at $59,400.
========================================================
Currency bid prices at 11:58AM (1558 GMT)
Description RIC Last U.S. Close Pct Change YTD Pct High Bid Low Bid
Previous Change
Session
Dollar index =USD 92.9990 92.8980 +0.12% 3.354% +93.0750 +92.8300
Euro/Dollar EUR=EBS $1.1756 $1.1778 -0.15% -3.75% +$1.1787 +$1.1749
Dollar/Yen JPY=EBS 110.6750 110.6050 +0.08% +7.13% +110.7450 +110.3700
Euro/Yen EURJPY= 130.16 130.23 -0.05% +2.55% +130.3100 +130.0400
Dollar/Swiss CHF=EBS 0.9408 0.9416 +0.11% +6.55% +0.9434 +0.9407
Sterling/Dollar GBP=D3 $1.3817 $1.3834 -0.01% +1.25% +$1.3852 +$1.3815
Dollar/Canadian CAD=D3 1.2561 1.2553 +0.11% -1.31% +1.2573 +1.2530
Aussie/Dollar AUD=D3 $0.7599 $0.7617 -0.17% -1.15% +$0.7637 +$0.7599
Euro/Swiss EURCHF= 1.1080 1.1090 -0.09% +2.53% +1.1097 +1.1074
Euro/Sterling EURGBP= 0.8508 0.8511 -0.04% -4.80% +0.8520 +0.8502
NZ NZD=D3 $0.7016 $0.7025 -0.17% -2.34% +$0.7047 +$0.7013
Dollar/Dollar
Dollar/Norway NOK=D3 8.5190 8.5265 -0.04% -0.74% +8.5435 +8.5235
Euro/Norway EURNOK= 10.0298 10.0360 -0.06% -4.18% +10.0530 +10.0296
Dollar/Sweden SEK= 8.7275 8.7115 +0.04% +6.48% +8.7375 +8.7048
Euro/Sweden EURSEK= 10.2644 10.2598 +0.04% +1.87% +10.2685 +10.2572
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World FX rates https://tmsnrt.rs/2RBWI5E
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